1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to drafting instruments and more specifically to an improved triangle which has safety features that insure safe operations for children and beginning and other users of the instrument.
1. The Prior Art
Triangular drafting instruments are well known in the prior art and are customarily made of wood, plastic or metal in a generally flat configuration and shaped to provide three legs disposed in a triangular disposition. A particularly common form of triangle is a so-called right triangle wherein two of the legs are straight edges and intersect one another at a right angle, i.e., with an included angle of 90 degrees. The third leg then forms the hypotenuse of the triangle and may define with the other legs an included angle of selected size, usually 30, 45 or 60 degrees.
With such prior art devices, the included angle forms a sharp point, so sharp that a careless user may inflict serious harm to either the user or to others, whether intentionally, or accidentally. The sharp points, even on triangles made of a pliable plastic, may have such a potential for penetration, that even a casual contact with a resisting surface such as the skin of a person, may result in the infliction of a serious wound.
In the hands of a user bent on anti-social behavior, such a triangle could well function as a weapon. Yet, the elimination of the sharp corners seriously handicaps the legitimate use of the device in drawing triangular shapes and in the utilitarian exploitation of the triangle.